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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
'Combat terror, eliminate Jaish': Bilawal Bhutto delegation gets a reality check in US
US Congressman Brad Sherman gave a reality check to the Pakistani delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, insisting that the country should 'do all it can' to eliminate terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad from the region read more Pakistan's bid to spread its false propaganda in Washington failed horribly after a US lawmaker called out the country's support for a globally recognised terrorist organisation, Jaish-e-Mohammad. On Thursday, American Congressman Brad Sherman delivered stern advice to the Pakistani delegation led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that the country should 'do all it can' to eliminate the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad. Sherman also told Bhutto's team that Pakistan should ensure the protection of religious minorities in the country. Interestingly, the remarks from the US lawmaker came months after Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir made provocative remarks, expressing his support for the so-called 'Two-Nation Theory,' days after which India witnessed the Pahalgam terror attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sherman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to reveal that he emphasised to the Pakistani delegation the importance of combating terrorism and, in particular, the group Jaish-e-Mohammed. The American lawmaker pointed out that it was the JeM that was behind the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. For years, the people of #Sindh have faced political repression through enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Since its founding in 2011, Pakistan's own Human Rights Commission has documented over 8,000 cases of enforced disappearances, many of which have never been… — Congressman Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) June 6, 2025 Sherman shares the plight of the Pearl family In his post, the US lawmaker noted that he told the Pakistani delegation that it is important to combat terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and shared the plight of the Pearl family. 'I emphasised to the Pakistani delegation the importance of combatting terrorism, and in particular, the group Jaish-e-Mohammed, who murdered my constituent Daniel Pearl in 2002,' the Congressman said. 'Pearl's family continues to live in my district, and Pakistan should do all it can to eliminate this vile group and combat terrorism in the region,' he added. Daniel was kidnapped by terrorists in Pakistan in January 2002, while he was on his way to what he had expected would be an interview with Pakistani religious cleric Mubarak Ali Gilani in Karachi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Congressman from California also raised concerns about the lives of minorities in Pakistan. 'Christians, Hindus and Ahmadiyya Muslims living in Pakistan must be allowed to practice their faith and participate in the democratic system without fear of violence, persecution, discrimination, or an unequal justice system,' he said in the post. During the meeting, Sherman also called for the release of Dr Shakil Afridi, who continues to languish in prison for helping the United States kill Osama bin Laden . 'Freeing Dr Afridi represents an important step in bringing closure for victims of 9/11,' he said. Dr Afridi is a Pakistani physician who helped the CIA run a polio vaccination programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The campaign eventually helped in the collection of the DNA sample of the Bin Laden family. Afridi was eventually arrested by Pakistani authorities shortly after the American raid on Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad in May 2011. In 2012, a Pakistani court eventually sentenced him to 33 years in prison. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
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First Post
18-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
How first PSL match after week-long suspension was used for Pakistan Army propaganda
The ongoing season of the Pakistan Super League resumed after a week-long suspension with the match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi in Rawalpindi, which was attended by top military officials including Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. read more General Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, was seated next to Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi during Saturday's PSL between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi. Image credit: Screengrab of video posted on X The ongoing seasons of the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League resumed on Saturday after a week-long hiatus due to the recent armed conflict between India and Pakistan. While the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders ended in a washout that resulted in the latter getting eliminated from the playoffs race, there were no weather-related interruptions on the other side of the border as Karachi Kings ended up defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the match that was originally scheduled to take place on 8 May. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Top military officials attend Karachi Kings-Peshawar Zalmi match in Rawalpindi Saturday's PSL restart, however, witnessed what can be construed as military propaganda, with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir among those in attendance alongside Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be the country's Federal Interior Minister. Also seated at the VIP Box at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday was Director General ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. They should keep doing the winning celebration for atleast 3 more months cx man this is crazy😭 — samiya 6-0 (@pinklininginsky) May 17, 2025 General Munir had made headlines for his infamous 'Two-Nation Theory' speech in which he made controversial remarks regarding Hindus and described Kashmir as Pakistan's 'jugular vein', besides commenting on the insurgency in Balochistan. Five days later, 26 people – a majority of them tourists – were killed and several others injured in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that ignited tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations and led to the military showdown. Lt Gen Chaudhry, meanwhile, had attended several press briefings alongside Air Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, the two serving as the spokesperson of the Pakistan Army and Air Force respectively. He is the son of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a former nuclear scientist who is also a UN-listed terrorist and was linked to 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. The Indian armed forces had responded to the Pahalgam attack by striking multiple terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The Pakistan armed forces retaliated by indiscriminately targeting civilian areas in Poonch and other areas in J&K. Pakistan's escalation led to India targeting multiple air bases, including the Bholari Air Base that is located around 100 kilometres from the metropolis of Karachi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The two nations agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after more than three days of military hostilities, allowing cricket to resume in India as well as in Pakistan. While RCB and KKR collected a point each following a washout that ended the latter's hopes of sneaking into the playoffs, defending champions Karachi Kings defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 23 runs.
Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
For peace with India — and its own future — Pakistan needs moderate rulers
As I wrote nearly a decade ago, and as the Subcontinent moves on from another round of bloodshed and brinkmanship, it is time to confront a hard truth: Lasting peace with Pakistan's military establishment was always a mirage. Last week's escalations were not an aberration, but the logical outcome of two ideologies at odds with each other. In the language of international relations, countries are often described as 'status quo' or 'revisionist' powers. A status quo power is content with its borders and seeks stability and growth, not territorial expansion. India fits this description. We have no desire for anyone else's land or resources. Our ambition is simple: To build a prosperous, modern nation and to be a force for good in the world (vishwaguru). If we could trust that peace with Pakistan was genuine, we would gladly embrace it and move forward. But Pakistan, since its inception, has been a revisionist power — one that seeks to alter its region. The military and religious elite in Islamabad have long pursued two goals: First, to 'liberate' parts of India and create an Islamic state for India's Muslims (regardless of whether they want it or not); and second, to block India's rise, clinging to the parity that existed in 1947. For them, a secular, thriving India is a threat that cannot be tolerated as it calls into question the very reason for Pakistan's creation. This was very clear in Army Chief Asif Munir's incendiary speech a week before the Pahalgam Attacks where he parroted the defunct Two-Nation Theory and insisted that Hindus and Muslims cannot coexist (can you imagine the furore if any other world leader said that?). Let's be clear. When I say 'Pakistan', I mean the entrenched military leadership and the highly fundamentalist Deobandi religious establishment. This alliance has ruled Pakistan since independence, keeping it both religiously extreme and militarily aggressive. This suits the military by giving it a reason to stay in power and enrich itself and this suits the clerics as they get to espouse their hateful creed. Many ordinary Pakistanis — business leaders, intellectuals, moderate Muslim denominations — would welcome a lasting peace and the prosperity it could bring. But they do not hold power. The military-mullah axis does, and it has crushed every challenge to its authority with a mix of religious propaganda or brute force. So where does that leave us? If India is to fulfil its destiny, we must either neutralise the threat next door or live in a state of constant vigilance. The dilemma is real: How do we deal with a neighbour that believes its god-ordained duty is to undermine us? The long-term answer is not endless confrontation but transformation. Pakistan must become a status quo power. That will only happen when moderates, not militarists and extremists, hold sway in Islamabad. This shift could come through a popular uprising or, more likely, an internal coup by those who see peace and prosperity as Pakistan's true path forward. But for such a change to occur, the current establishment must suffer a defeat so decisive that the rest of Pakistan recognises the futility of their old ambitions. To do this, India now has the opportunity. The old Pakistani establishment is tottering. The gamble at Pahalgam was the act of an army desperate to keep itself relevant. Imran Khan's ouster has turned popular opinion against the military. Balochistan's insurgency has made almost half the landmass of Pakistan ungovernable, the Pashtuns are in open revolt aided by Afghanistan. Today's India has a technological, military, and economic advantage that is overwhelming, as was clearly displayed last week. And, most importantly, the old apologists for Pakistan in the West, and its patron China are fed up and quiet. We must use this to deliver the blows that show regular Pakistanis the self-harm their leaders cause and end the grip the current regime has on Pakistan's levers of power. The battle for Pakistan's soul is not one we sought, but it is one we cannot ignore. Our government and security establishment know it cannot afford to wait for goodwill gestures, hollow promises, mediation, or such half measures. It knows we have to leverage our strengths and force a reckoning in Islamabad. We must make it clear that there is no reward for revisionism, only isolation and decline. The choice for Pakistan's rulers must be made simple: Change course, or be left behind as India strides confidently into the future. Last week's actions were a strong step in the right direction. But we must be under no illusions that while an important battle was won, the larger war goes on. We must continue to stand united, bear any pain we need to, ignore any 'liberal' Western criticism and be ready for this kind of decisive action again and again until Pakistan changes. We owe this to the innocent victims of terror, from 26/11 till today. We owe it to our brave armed forces, and most of all, we owe it to our children. The writer is an educator, political commentator, philanthropist and businessman with degrees from the Wharton School of Business, INSEAD, and Johns Hopkins University
India Gazette
10-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Pakistan uses Islam as facade for terrorism": Owaisi blasts Pak for weaponising religion to promote terror
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 10 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday launched a sharp and direct critique of Pakistan's attempts to create religious divisions within India and said that Pakistan's terrorist actions are less about religious solidarity and more about political and strategic gains masked by religious rhetoric. Speaking to ANI about his views on Pakistan trying to divide Indian society based on religion, he said, 'It is the deep state of Pakistan that only uses Islam as a facade to cover their illegal activities, to cover their promotion of terrorism.' Owaisi strongly reaffirms that Indian Muslims, including their forefathers, rejected Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Two-Nation Theory (which led to the creation of Pakistan) and chose to live in a secular, democratic India. He also points out the inconsistency and hypocrisy in Pakistan's use of religion as a political tool and said that while Pakistan claims to champion Muslim causes, it has been violent toward other Muslim communities, such as Afghans, Iranians, and the Balochs. Asaduddin Owaisi said, 'Pakistan conveniently forgets that more than 230 million Muslims are living in India and our forefathers rejected the 'Two-Nation Theory'. We despise, reject the 'Two-Nation Theory' proposed by Jinnah and accept India as our country, and we will continue to stay here. Pakistan wants to divide India on the lines of religion, it wants to create more friction between Indian Muslims and Hindus and other communities over here.' Adding further, he said, 'If Pakistan talks about the two-nation theory, why are they bombing the Afghanistan border post, why are they bombing the Iranian border post, why are they killing the Balochis who are also Muslims. The Afghans are Muslims, the Iranians are Muslims, the Balochis are their nationals who are Muslims. It is the deep state of Pakistan that only uses Islam as a facade to cover their illegal activities, to cover their promotion of terrorism. This is what they have been doing for the past 75 years.' Notably, the 'Two-Nation Theory' argued that Muslims and Hindus in the Indian subcontinent were two distinct nations, with their customs, religion, and traditions, and therefore could not coexist peacefully within a single nation. It claimed that Muslims needed a separate nation to practice Islam and preserve their cultural identity freely. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the Indian government to push for the complete dismantling of Pakistan's terror infrastructure, holding the Pakistani deep state, ISI, and military directly responsible for continued cross-border terrorism. Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said, 'The Pakistani deep state, the Pakistani ISI, the Pakistani military, their aim and objective is always to create problems and destabilise India in any way. They have been sponsoring, promoting, and training terrorists inside their own country. There are various satellite images as well, which can prove this.' Owaisi accused Pakistan of systematically sponsoring, training, and sheltering terrorists within its borders, citing satellite imagery and intelligence inputs that confirm the presence of terror camps. 'These terrorist camps, organisations, despite them being banned by the US, for eg when India bombed Bhawalpur--a terrorist organisation's headoffice which was a shelter to train people in arms, the terrorists who were killed over there, their last namaz--the janaza namaz, was performed by a person who is a designated terrorist in the US--Hafiz Abdur Rahouf. Why can't the world see this? In that prayer, all the people were wearing Pakistan Army dresses,' stated Owaisi. He questioned the global silence and asked how long India can tolerate such provocations. 'This needs to end. There must be a full stop to terrorism sponsored by Pakistan.' 'We, India as a country, how long can we allow this and let Pakistan enter our country and kill people? And the most unfortunate was the Pahalgam attack, these terrorists from Pakistan separated families and then asked the males to recite the Kalma, and if not, they were shot dead. Can anyone imagine the pains, the scars these families will carry for the rest of their lives? So it is high time that this terrorism sponsored by Pakistan should come to an end, there should be a full stop to it,' said the AIMIM chief. Meanwhile, India has decided that any future act of terror will be considered an 'act of war' against India and will be responded to accordingly, the top government sources said. Earlier in the day, amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting took place following India's strikes at four airbases in Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday in reply to Pakistan's attack on 26 Indian locations. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stated that precision strikes were carried out on Pakistani military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, as well as radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation bases, using air-launched weapons from Indian fighter aircraft. Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed the media about the ongoing developments amidst the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Vikram Misri emphasised that the actions being undertaken by Pakistan against India are being seen as 'escalatory' and 'provocative' in nature. He made the remarks during a press briefing on Saturday, where proofs of Pakistan's escalatory and provocative actions were provided alongside exposing the lies being peddled by Pakistan. While speaking to the media, the Foreign Secretary said, 'Pakistan's actions constituted provocation, escalation. In response, India defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion.' (ANI)
India.com
09-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
India Pakistan tensions: How Turkish drones are helping Pakistan attack India; Read full story
(File) India Pakistan tensions: In a recent military escalation along the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistan has reportedly used hundreds of drones that are imported from Turkey. It has been reported that Turkey had supplied Pakistan Pakistan with 300-400 drones that were used by Pakistan to target both military and civilian areas in India. 'The Indian armed forces brought down a number of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means,' the government said on the drones that are used to attack India. Reports also saying that initial forensic evidence of the drone debris suggests that these were 'Asis Guard Songar' drones of Turkey. However, the main issue which needs to be understood is the fact that why Turkey is helping Pakistan. Why Turkey is helping Pakistan! Turkey has consistently extended moral, economic, and military support to Pakistan, backing its communal narrative of the Two-Nation Theory as well as its stance on Kashmir promoted by Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Just hours after the Pahalgam terror attack—carried out by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the UN-banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba—Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, becoming the only global leader to do so. Following the meeting, Sharif thanked Turkey for its 'unwavering support' on the Kashmir issue. Pakistan used civilian airliner as shield, didn't close civil airspace says Centre The Centre, briefing the nation over Pakistan's repeated airspace aggression after the dismantling of terror infrastructure on its soil, said on Friday that the neighbouring nation was using civilian flights as 'cover' and it didn't even close the civilian airspace despite launching an attack on India. 'Pakistan's irresponsible behaviour has again come to the fore. It did not close its civil airspace despite launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 8.30 hours in the evening,' Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told the press, during a special briefing on Operation Sindoor. (With inputs from agencies)
